Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stara Zagora and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Stara Zagora: $864 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cebu outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

42

Cost of Living Index in Stara Zagora
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Stara Zagora Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Stara Zagora

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$864

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stara Zagora and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stara Zagora and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $864 in Stara Zagora versus $934 in Cebu.

Stara Zagora $864
Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,394 in Stara Zagora versus $1,415 in Cebu.

Stara Zagora $1,394
Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,924 in Stara Zagora versus $1,896 in Cebu.

Stara Zagora $1,924
Cebu $1,896

Living in Stara Zagora costs roughly 8% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Stara Zagora 36% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.36 BGN 18.13

$3.03 ₱190

241.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 BGN 88.8

$23.48 ₱1,473

116.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 BGN 15.38

$4.09 ₱256

114.91%

Cappuccino

$2.33 BGN 4.08

$2.52 ₱158

-7.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 BGN 2.65

$1.54 ₱96.9

-1.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$0.49 ₱30.98

79.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 BGN 4.02

$1.79 ₱112

28.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 BGN 3.49

$2.26 ₱142

-11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.13

$1.95 ₱122

-8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$1.43 ₱89.7

-38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 BGN 2.54

$1.02 ₱63.8

42.16%

Eggs

$2.37 BGN 4.14

$2.06 ₱129

15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 BGN 16.22

$9.81 ₱615

-5.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 BGN 11.58

$4.61 ₱289

43.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.59 BGN 15.04

$7.70 ₱483

11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 BGN 2.31

$3.31 ₱207

-60.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 BGN 3.00

$1.45 ₱90.9

17.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 3.08

$2.36 ₱148

-25.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.46

$1.54 ₱96.4

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BGN 1.77

$2.36 ₱148

-57.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 BGN 1.33

$1.99 ₱125

-61.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 BGN 0.95

$1.15 ₱72.1

-53.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BGN 1.11

$0.67 ₱42.15

-4.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 BGN 6.64

$3.00 ₱188

26.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 BGN 8.82

$6.35 ₱398

-20.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 BGN 2.00

$1.31 ₱81.9

-12.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 BGN 2.99

$1.73 ₱108

-1.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.55

$0.25 ₱15.78

256.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.61 BGN 32.56

$12.65 ₱793

47.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 BGN 2.29

$0.74 ₱46.32

77.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 BGN 1.12

$0.21 ₱13.11

204.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.52 BGN 20.16

$4.33 ₱271

166.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 BGN 2.81

$1.33 ₱83.5

20.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.6K BGN 53.6K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

40.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.3K BGN 39.1K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

15.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$93.2 BGN 163

$121 ₱7,563

-22.68%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.82 BGN 25.93

$14.45 ₱907

2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.33 BGN 21.57

$28.29 ₱1,774

-56.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.49 BGN 46.36

$32.68 ₱2,050

-18.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 BGN 37.14

$6.39 ₱401

232.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 BGN 15.16

$5.46 ₱342

58.61%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$234 BGN 410

$273 ₱17.1K

-14.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,272 BGN 3,975

$8,156 ₱511.5K

-72.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.04 BGN 54.3

$49.57 ₱3,109

-37.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.21 BGN 33.62

$24.87 ₱1,560

-22.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 BGN 112

$76.6 ₱4,804

-16.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.7 BGN 90.5

$59.3 ₱3,717

-12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 BGN 522

$506 ₱31.7K

-41.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 BGN 438

$309 ₱19.4K

-19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 BGN 865

$1,052 ₱66.0K

-53.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 BGN 692

$619 ₱38.8K

-36.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,449 BGN 2,536

$2,915 ₱182.9K

-50.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 BGN 1,861

$1,867 ₱117.1K

-43.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 BGN 1,852

$341 ₱21.4K

210.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

7.2

-58.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Stara Zagora: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Stara Zagora

$250 28.7%

Cebu

$309 33.5% 23.6% $59

Groceries & Markets

Stara Zagora

$196 22.4%

Cebu

$210 22.7% 7.3% $14

Eating Out

Stara Zagora

$162 18.6%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 45.5% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stara Zagora

$120 13.8%

Cebu

$163 17.7% 35.7% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Stara Zagora

$75 8.5%

Cebu

$95 10.2% 26.8% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Stara Zagora

$44 5%

Cebu

$44 4.7% 0.5% $0.2

Getting Around

Stara Zagora

$27 3.1%

Cebu

$15 1.7% 42.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $298 in Stara Zagora and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stara Zagora pays 210% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Stara Zagora vs $23.00 in Cebu. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $210, with Stara Zagora cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Stara Zagora

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

08:48 8:48 AM

13:48 1:48 PM

5 h ahead of Stara Zagora

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,266

964,169

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Stara Zagora Cebu 9,910 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Stara Zagora
Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Stara Zagora vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stara Zagora is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 210% higher in Stara Zagora, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $298 in Stara Zagora versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $864 per month in Stara Zagora versus $934 in Cebu – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stara Zagora runs roughly 47% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Stara Zagora gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Stara Zagora is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Stara Zagora and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Stara Zagora gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.